Timbo58

Personally 2 & 3 for us, and if we start to get jaded by hearing 'the same old' we simply start going further afield.

Condolences for your wife Al. It's a fractious topic but I'll tread carefully, as we all have our own preferences & prejudices. The rare/Northern scene nowadays (perhaps always?) is split into varying degrees from strict original vinyl only right down to digital formats at the opposite ends. I'd guess 'the circuit' you were on is still there, although it has become much smaller since it's now very fashionable to do the retro thing and boast about being 'vinyl only', possibly to differentiate themselves from the digital offering or because it's what a lot of returning soul fans have grown up with and are familiar with. On the point of carvers & other bootlegs - its probably a fact that 90% of the audience either don't care or don't know it isn't 'legit'. Some promotors & punters alike will give leeway to big name DJs for playing all sorts of dodgy stuff, some won't. I'd say if you want to put events on then go for it, there's an audience for anything and it's undeniable that NS is the new 'thing' with pubs & clubs tripping over themselves to host events to sell their beer. There is an audience for every type of offering, one might argue that the less 'strict' it is in terms of music format, dancefloor etiquette etc the more accessible it is for newbies/day trippers and the casual music fan. It's the same as all marketing - target the right audience & good luck.

It's pretty simple IMHO, enjoy yourself, respect others. Respecting others is easy enough -don't drink on the dancefloor, don't chuck talc about and try to respect others dance space, ignore the few events where you don't very clearly see that sort of respect immediately. I'm on the fence with dance classes, the best seem to simply help to boost confidence and show how specific moves can be done, which isn't a bad thing, but some seem to be 'cashing in' which is never a good thing IMHO. As for where to see decent dancers -any established proper allnighter or if you can't stretch to those, then any established local event with a decent promotor will usually have a smattering of decent dancers and you'll be able quickly to pick up good habits there also. TBF the scene is a great deal bigger than just dancers -and I'd far rather see someone lost in the music and oblivious to anything else than someone who has all the moves but nothing alight in themselves. As for older people being 'protectionist' -it can feel like that, but very few saying it are doing so malevolently. Most of the comments are as a result the more embarrassing pastiches that seem to crop up when a previously largely underground scene starts to attract newcomers and it & they then see this sort of behaviour and think it's ok or even desirable to repeat it, its happened on the Mod scene & the scooter scene in the last 10-20 years also, and is generally not younger people at all -but an influx of the middle aged looking for events they can dress up & attend trying to fit in, which is quite clearly not what 90% then do -ie fit in. The best way to see the real soul scene is TRAVEL, very few of us are lucky to have a 1st rate allnighter on their doorstep, so travelling and going to various events will very quickly show you the etiquette and plenty of top class people -dancers. collectors, DJs and all round good eggs.

In a separate room, yes. Not otherwise. Just my personal preference anyway.

Great post & interesting topic Amy. I am convinced that in all passionate collecting especially there is 'a spectrum' certainly.

Personally I've always loved Rome, and the Roma soul city guys have a great alldayer & their legendary allnighters now for many years. A weekender would be perfect, but I doubt affordable to be fair. If I won the lotto -they'd get one, for sure. The big thing for all weekenders is VENUE. Many destinations simply don't seem to have places with a decent wood floor, this may be climate, insects or just culture, but it's non starter for many without a decent floor.

Nothing on the Saturday. Friday is the last ever Walls club alldayer in Gloucester and Sunday is the West Wilts alldayer in Trowbridge, both are a few hours drive north from Southampton though to be fair.

Many thanks Windlesoul. I shall almost certainly go that route. it’s frustrating to get so far & have to stop at this point - so I’ll give it my very best shot!

A long shot, but does anyone have reliable contact details for SUN records in Nashville please? I was dealing with their A&R VP Chase Gregory earlier this year but have been unable to elicit a response at all since January, so before I give up on the project I thought I'd try someone else (higher up the tree would be useful). Please PM me. Thanks

Interesting topic but it has been covered here in this very forum before. topic/320896-northern-soul-is-it-a-trademark/ A film/play/fashion shoot are obviously & ultimately deemed worthy or not by their audience, whether we like it or not or think it reflects fairly or not on the soul scene, to that end my opinion (not being old enough to have been at any of the iconic venues of the 70's) will differ from many friends a few years older, isn't that always the case? As for tat in all its guises -again it's judged by its consumers, the rest of us can laugh at it or blame the promotor if they allow it in their venue. I'd guess in answer to who's in charge? -no one of course, there may or may not be a consensus of opinion but in reality it doesn't matter since no one can lay any legal claim of ownership. Personally I love that, nothing says more that 'soul is for everyone' than not being able to copyright it.

It'll be interesting I'm sure. My main gripe is the flat percentage of everything including postage as a fee, this just serves to drive prices ever upward and to the detriment of discogs -onto other selling platforms -social media in particular. I think I'm probably the same as most buyers/sellers I prefer to do these in the order of: 1. face to face in cash 2. via direct message to someone I know 3. via a trusted platform with electronic payment 4. via a direct message with someone I don't know (risky though it is) If 3 is no good due to high prices/high fees then all of the others are far more attractive in comparison. I'd also like to see changes to the way users can download data -i.e. the price paid shown on csv exports included.

That’s what you get for skipping history class Jase!

When this sort of social media 'look at me I'm doing Northern soul' dance routine was first seen on YouTube etc, it was felt by many, including me, to be 'ok in small doses' or 'Ok for the kids to be doing it'. Perhaps we all naively hoped they'd either move onto something else or be encouraged and encourage others into the scene proper, for some time that appeared to be the case. I wish it had stayed that way as surely that's where the 'as long as they're having fun' statement was fair? Unfortunately it's where the mainstream national media latched onto this 'new thing' and took those specific creators absolutely seriously, it has crossed the Rubicon. The irony is, that if the genuine respect of the rest of the real rare soul scene were rewarded in hard currency, these people now declaring themselves as spokespeople for the rest of us wouldn't have enough to buy a cup of tea.

Thanks Jase. Your memory is much better than mine & I thank you for the detail. I went to the rock pile a few times & the Mayfair suite - although we definitely called it’ the ice rink’ to be fair, probably a throw back to school trips to go skating! To be fair, I’m not knocking either Eve or Levanna personally or the events /clientele they attract - as a promoter I know very well that it’s easy to snipe from an armchair than actually lay down cash & put events on. Mike Shawe I know from BR - he’s still running events on the modern side too I believe. Nice bloke. Perhaps the statement that seems to have gotten everyone talking was edited? i can’t think why otherwise such a seemingly definitive statement about ‘nothing being on in Bristol in the past etc’ was made, if you weren’t actually there at the time?

Eve A is 'Levannas' mum & co hosts the Bristol NSC events. AFAIAA she was connected with Stafford 'Top of the world', at some point -just what I've heard anyway. The Edwin Starr story aside, it simply isn't credible to say Bristol was a NS black hole before the millennium - nothing about Yate, the ice rink all-nighters or even little events of which there were loads on a regular basis in the city throughout the 80's with a few even popping up since -including some which ran for years & were pretty well attended - stuff like go-go children allnighters etc. It's pretty ironic to have such a seeming poor memory really, as she had 3 Bristol NS DJs at her own gig last weekend, at least 1 of who has been on the local scene for decades. Oops.

Indeed, I recognise a few real mods I know well within it.

Another nail in the coffin perhaps , but, if it's any consolation - the real mod scene still survives in one form or another despite decades of being pastiched, insulted & misrepresented. The only concern to me is those who are easily persuaded that an image shown on TV (or even worse social media) is genuine and start popping up at proper events only to be disappointed (or even worse trying to change what we have into what they think it should be!)